


Hindered Wisdom

by alvahana



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Coffee Dad Sakura Sojiro, Family Dynamics, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sakura Sojiro Adopts Persona 5 Protagonist, Team Bonding, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Wisdom Teeth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29125524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alvahana/pseuds/alvahana
Summary: “I don’t have a bad tooth,” Akira dismissed with a wave of his hand. “I brush my teeth and floss twice every day. I don’t even eat sweets often.” At the mention of sweets and bad tooth, Ann stopped midway scooping up a spoonful of pudding, glancing away guiltily.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 61





	Hindered Wisdom

“Penny for your thoughts?” Sojiro asked Akira from behind LeBlanc’s bar counter. The black-haired teen, sitting on one of the stoops, blinked up at him. 

“Huh?”

“You’ve been staring at my curry for the last five minutes. It’s not going to magically go on into your stomach this way, you know.” 

“…Sorry,” the teenager glanced down at the untouched food, then back at him, sheepishly. “I…haven't got much of an appetite.” 

Sojiro frowned. “Are you coming down with something?” Akira didn’t look sick, just a little on the tired and moody side. But if there was anything Sojiro learned about the kid in the past year, it would be how good he was at hiding distress and keeping things to himself. 

Akira shook his head. “Don’t think so.” Morgana meowed at that, his tone reproachful to Sojiro’s ears. The kid ignored the feline and continued, “Can I take the curry away to school for lunch?”

“Suit yourself, as long as my food doesn’t go to waste,” Sojiro replied. “But you should still eat. Make sure you grab something light on your way to school, a‘right?” He tried to not sound like a nagging parent worrying over his boy not eating properly. “And no coffee on an empty stomach.” He had a feeling he failed. 

“Will do. Thanks, Sojiro.” With a nod and a smile, Akira packed the curry into a bento box, motioned Morgana to hop into his duffel bag and left for school. 

As the café door closed behind the kid, Sojiro made a mental note to keep an eye on him in the next few days. 

——

The ex-Thieves were having an evening gathering in LeBlanc after it was closed. With Makoto and Haru busy settling into new life in college and the rest of the group (sans Futaba) graduating high school this year, it had been a while since the last time they all got together and just hung out. Their ex-leader, however, didn’t put in much during the conversations, his quietness even more prominent than usual. 

“Are you okay, Akira?” Makoto asked from across the table, but the question didn’t seem to reach him. “Akira?” she tried again, louder this time. 

“Hm…?” Finally noticing her attempt to get his attention, Akira looked up. “Sorry Makoto, what’d you say?” 

“You seem distracted the whole night. Are you not feeling well?” 

Ryuji, sitting next to Akira, nudged him with his elbow. “Somethin’ on your mind, man?” 

Akira shook his head. “Ah, it’s nothing.” 

“But you’ve barely touched your food,” Ann chimed in. “Meanwhile I’m almost finished with desserts.” 

“Yea no kiddin’, this is like your third cup of puddin’ already,” Ryuji pointed out, gaining himself a glare from the other blonde. 

“I just have a mild headache. It’s no big deal.” Akira tried for a smile which was quite weak in their opinion. He seemed to know that as well, and in an attempt to make it more convincing, he took a small bite of the pizza in front of him, but his face scrunched up as soon as he started chewing. 

“It almost seems like eating brings you pain,” Yusuke commented from the bar stool. At his words, the others took a closer look at Akira. His right cheek, which he’d been skillfully hiding by angling his head away from his friends, was indeed slightly swollen. 

Concerned, Haru put down her coffee on the counter and said, “Are your teeth bothering you, Akira-kun?”

“Ohhhh someone’s got a bad tooth!” Futaba’s head suddenly appeared from the booth behind. “Sojiroooo! Did you hear that!?” the girl shrieked in excitement, almost like a younger sister telling on her big brother to their Dad. 

“I keep telling him to go to the dentist,” Sojiro called out from the kitchen while shaking his head. “You guys help me talk some sense into his stubborn skull.” 

“I don’t have a bad tooth,” Akira dismissed with a wave of his hand. “I brush my teeth and floss twice every day. I don’t even eat sweets often.” At the mention of sweets and bad tooth, Ann stopped midway scooping up a spoonful of pudding, glancing away guiltily. 

“That’s what he’s been doing the past two weeks,” Morgana, napping on the table the whole time, chipped in without opening his eyes. “Delaying and diverting.” 

Makoto scrutinized Akira’s face for a moment before something dawned on her. “I think it’s your wisdom teeth. I had mine removed last year and your situation looks a lot like mine.” 

“But I thought you ain’t supposed to have them removed until you’re in your twenties,” Ryuji said between mouthfuls of potato chips.

“Not necessarily. It’s actually normal to have wisdom teeth extractions in late teens to early twenties,” the brunette patiently explained. “Some dentists even recommend having them removed earlier before the roots and bone are fully formed. But it depends on individual situation, of course.” After a pause, she turned to Akira, “Anyway, you should have a dental checkup soon.” 

“…It’s fine,” Akira tilted his face further away. “I’ll…get it checked next month.” 

Haru clasped her hands on her laps. “I don’t think waiting till next month is a good idea…” 

He shrugged. “It may have healed itself by then…?” 

Sojiro sighed. It was time to put on his authoritative face. “That’s it. No more delaying the inevitable,” he said sternly. “There’s a dentist nearby and you’re going tomorrow. I’ll drag you there myself if I have to.” 

“I…I can’t just waltz in there,” Akira stuttered, his usually composed demeanor falling apart. “They’ll need an appointment.” 

“Oh silly brother, don’t you worry about that,” Futaba’s malevolent snigger drained all the remaining color from his face. “I just hacked into their booking system and made one for you! It’s tomorrow morning!” 

Akira groaned. 

——

“I _hate_ dentists.” 

“I can tell.” 

The next morning, Akira had unwillingly gone to the compulsory dental appointment by himself. The clinic was merely a ten minute walk from LeBlanc, so he didn’t bother bringing Morgana along. The nurse behind reception gave him a weird look when he walked in, as she was sure there wasn’t any appointment at 9 o’clock, but the system said otherwise so she led him in anyway.

An hour later, Sojiro watched as Akira walked into the café looking as if he’d just failed the university entrance exam. It turned out Makoto was right after all — the culprit behind the swelling and pain for the past two weeks was his upper-right wisdom tooth. It had come in at an awkward angle and there wasn’t enough room for it to grow properly, meaning an extraction surgery was happening. Soon. 

“It’s really no big deal,” Sojiro consoled him. “All you have to do is lie down and let the man pull it out for you.” 

Akira gave him a gloomy expression. “…You made it sound like a walk in the park.” 

“You fought monsters in an otherworld and cheated death by conning a detective who planned to murder you. This _is_ a walk in the park compared to those.” 

The kid’s shoulders hunched, letting out an uncharacteristically dramatic sigh in defeat. “I may die _for real_ this time,” he muttered.

Sojiro suddenly had an urge to take out his phone and snap a photo of the slouching teenager. It was a rare occasion to see him pout like a little boy so publicly. It was kind of endearing. “It’s not the end of the world, you know,” he quipped instead, a smirk tugging at his lips. 

“But it is…” Akira whined, burying his head into his palms, his elbows propped up on the countertop. 

“It’s not. You stopped that from happening when you shot the evil god in the face, remember?” 

——

The dental extraction was scheduled on a Saturday a week later.

Akira had insisted he’d be fine going there alone, but the look on his face before leaving reminded Sojiro of someone walking into the execution chamber, so Sojiro decided to accompany him to the clinic to provide moral support. He’d need to pick him up after the surgery anyway, and going there a few hours early would make no difference, he’d tell the kid.

The procedure didn’t take long; it was around an hour later when Akira stepped out of the operation room, slightly dozy and his right cheek swollen, but otherwise fine. A nurse guided him to the seat next to Sojiro.

“You okay, Akira?”

Bleary-eyed, the kid considered the question, before giving him a small nod lowering his head.

After a while, he looked up at Sojiro with a puzzled frown, “Sojiro?”

“Hm?”

“I can’t feel my jaw,” his speech slurred a little, but comprehensible nonetheless. ”Did they remove my jaw?”

Sojiro chuckled. “No, it’s still there, kid. They only took your wisdom teeth.”

“You sure...?”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

“...‘Kay,” he mumbled after a beat, and resumed to staring at the floor.

Akira’s name was called not too long after. “Stay put, I’m gonna grab your medicine,” Sojiro told him before walking up to the counter.

The nurse gave him some gauze pads and medications along with instructions on how to take care of Akira. Apparently the gauze in his mouth needed to be replaced every half an hour until the bleeding stopped. Some pain was to be expected after anaesthesia wore off, and he was supposed to use an ice pack to alleviate the discomfort and swelling.

By the time he got back to Akira, he was surprised to find the teenager had raised his head, looking somewhat more lucid.

“Ready to go home?” Sojiro asked.

“Yea.” Akira proceeded to stand up clumsily, but was steady enough to walk on his own. Sojiro stayed close by him with a hand on his back just in case.

They were just a block away from the clinic when Akira suddenly stopped on his tracks. “Where’re we goin’…? LeBlance’s this way.”

“You’re not going back there.” 

“I’m not…?” The kid looked confused. 

“Not in this state. Someone should keep an eye on you tonight. You’re staying with us,” Sojiro said, putting his arm on the swaying kid’s back to steer him to the right path. “And don’t worry about the cat. I already had Futaba pick him up from LeBlanc.” 

Akira was still hesitant, so Sojiro gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder, “Come on, they’re waiting for us at home.” 

The last word seemed to have settled whatever dilemma Akira had on his mind, as he nodded, letting the old man ruffle his hair and guide him home.

——

**Makoto** : Akira, how was your wisdom tooth surgery? It’s scheduled this morning if I remember correctly? 

**Ryuji** : wait its today? 

**Ann** : I was just about to ask! 

**Ann** : Did you make it back to LeBlanc safe, Akira? 

**Futaba** : Sojiro took him back to our house

 **Futaba** : he’s lying on the couch being a big baby right now 

**Futaba** : keeps whining and moaning 

**Akira** : Am not 

**Ryuji** : there he is! 

**Yusuke** : How are you feeling, Leader? 

**Akira** : Ok I think, just woozy

 **Akira** : And the would still bleeding a little

 **Akira** : *wound 

**Ryuji** : i have to ask 

**Ryuji** : did it hurt as much as they say? 

**Akira** : Not much surprisingly 

**Akira** : Maybe because amnesia hasn’t worn off yet

 **Ann** : Amnesia??? 

**Akira** : *anestheia 

**Futaba** : LOL still wrong

 **Akira** : Ugh whatever, you know what I mean

 **Makoto** : Anaesthesia?

 **Akira** : Yeah that 

**Ryuji** : dude lol

 **Ryuji** : u really out of it

 **Ryuji** : so unlike u lol

 **Akira** : ;(

 **Makoto** : Don’t be mean. It’s understandable Akira can’t think straight at the moment.

 **Ann** : Yeah Ryuji you’re one to talk 

**Ann** : You can’t spell the word right even when you’re lucid 

**Ryuji** : :0

 **Futaba** : SOMEONE GOT BURNED SO BAD

 **Ryuji** : jeez imma shut up now 

**Haru** : Sorry for the late reply, everyone! I was making mushroom soup and left my phone in my room.

 **Haru** : I hope you feel better soon, Akira-kun!

 **Akira** : Thank you Haru

 **Haru** : Would you like some of the soup I made? It should be easy to swallow in your current state. I can bring it to you if you want. 

**Akira** : Nah Sojiro’s making me something light I think 

**Akira** : But thanks for offering 

**Yusuke** : I would love some mushroom soup if it is not too much trouble. 

**Futaba** : no one’s asking you Inari -_- 

**Haru** : Oh it’s no trouble, Yusuke-kun! I’m heading out soon anyway, I’ll just have my driver drop me by your dorm. 

**Yusuke** : Thank you very much, Haru. That is very kind of you. I will be patiently waiting.

 **Haru** : See you soon then!

 **Ryuji** : u r too nice haru

 **Makoto** : Indeed.

 **Haru** : :)

 **Ryuji** : akira how bout I bring u that new game 

**Ryuji** : we can play together later 

**Makoto** : We should probably let him rest. The drug will wear off soon and he may start to experience discomfort.

 **Ryuji** : oh rite

 **Ryuji** : tmr then?

 **Ryuji** : hey u still there buddy??

 **Ryuji** : hellooooo

 **Futaba** : he fell asleep

 **Ryuji** : already???

 **Futaba** : yeah with Mona curled up against him

 **Ann** : Whaaaat I wanna see!!!

 **Yusuke** : Pictures speak louder than words, Futaba.

 **Futaba** : alert for CUTENESS OVERLOAD

_Futaba attached a photo._

**Ann** : AWWWWWWWWWW<3

 **Haru** : Oh my god, so adorable!

 **Makoto** : Looking at them makes me want to cuddle my Buchimaru-kun…

 **Yusuke** : I can relate. Morgana looks awfully fluffy to embrace. So does Akira.

 **Futaba** : @口@

 **Ryuji** : lol this gonna be perfect blackmail material against the cat!

 **Futaba** : Way ahead of you

 **Futaba** : hehee

_Futaba changed the group’s icon._

_\- Thirty minutes later -_

**Akira** : ......

 **Akira** : Not cool guys...

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time making (and posting) a colored fan art and I'm really nervous...I'm new to using digital tools instead of simply drawing by hand, and it took me almost as much time as writing the story itself. Now I have a newfound respect for people who make fan arts and even manga on a regular basis!


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